Roger Federer net worth: How much does Roger Federer earn every year?

From a 1,000-dollar haircut to multimillion Uniqlo whites

Even though Roger Federer’s latest sponsorship deal with Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo was in the works and was expected, when the world’s highest-paid athlete puts on the new outfit, it’s headline worthy. Roger Federer who was associated with Nike for over 23 years stepped out in his Uniqlo classic whites at the All England Club for the first time on Monday. Roger Federer’s Uniqlo deal is estimated at a 10 year, $41 million a year (₹283 crore) business that is expected to spill over into his retirement years is also the most valuable sports sponsorship deal in the world. Although he continues to wear sneakers made by Nike, he is under an ongoing tussle with the multinational over the ‘RF8’ logo on his footwear.

Federer admits that the emblem — which celebrates his eight Wimbledon titles along with his initials — is with Nike but hopes it will change in the coming days. But it is actually unsurprising why Nike is holding on to every bit of Federer they can. For a person who sells basically everything from pasta to Rolex watches, commercial brands love Roger Federer. No wonder he has made more money from endorsements than any other sportsperson on the planet. Yes he might have won an astounding $157 million (₹1,083 crore) in prize money but it is nothing if you compare it with his sponsorship earnings which stretch upto over $1 billion dollars (about ₹7,000 crore). Believe it or not, these deals have made him richer than Sir Elton John, Kim Kardashian and even the Queen.

What makes brand Roger Federer so special?

One of the main things that worked for him was his early rise as a tennis superstar. He had turned pro in 1998 at the age of just 16 which prompted his agency, International Management Group to sign sponsorship deal with Nike shoes, Wilson racquets and Switzerland’s largest dairy, Emmi AG. In 2001, Federer was only 19, when he announced himself to the world, beating the reigning champion Pete Sampras in the fourth round of the Wimbledon. But Federer wasn’t happy with the way IMG handled his packed scheduled which led him to ditching them in 2003.

The same year, Federer won his first Wimbledon — his first of the 20 Grand Slams. Shortly after, he started his own management company which consisted of a lawyer, a financial advisor, his mother, Lynette and his then girlfriend — now wife — Mirka to look after his media relations and travel. In the beginning it looked like everything was falling into place. All that the newly formed Roger Federer Management had to do was to persuade world famous brands to sponsor him.

But the following year, Roger Federer won three Grand Slams making him the first man to do so since 1988. Suddenly, every brand wanted him to be the face of their product. This sudden inflow of attention was so overwhelming Federer had to reluctantly return to a professional talent agency. You know, like, IMG… which is where he returned. Even the agency was smart to not let him slip away for the second time so IMG quickly landed Federer a $21 million (₹144 crore) deal with Rolex. Soon, Mercedes Benz, Gillette, Lindt chocolate and others followed. What worked for Roger Federer’s public image was that brands knew about his reserved and a clean-cut image, they knew that the cameras wouldn’t find Federer creating a ruckus in a nightclub. Even on the court, Federer was the conventional gentleman. Unlike his competitors he would never engage in a grunting competition at any point in the match.

And another stark difference which puts Federer in a league above everyone is that unlike most other athletes, he is yet to fall from the very high perch that is he is at. One clear example would be the career graph of fellow IMG client and golf superstar Tiger Woods whose scandalous extramarital incident followed by a string of substance abuse cases quickly pulled him down to rock-bottom in 2009. As a result, Woods lost over $28 million (₹193 crore) worth of endorsements. On the other hand, Federer’s domestic life has always been a bliss. Federer travels with the whole unit everywhere he goes which include his wife Mirka and two sets of twins — Charlene and Myla, eight, and Leo and Lenny, four.

Federer’s wife, Mirka (R) and his four kids

They travel by a private jet which costs just about $180,000 (₹1.2 crore) for every 24 hours of flight time. Obviously, Federer has found a way around this too as he is the brand ambassador of NetJets. When they are on road, it is in one of his six Mercedes-Benz cars, another sponsorship reward. But Roger Federer loves the good life. According to a report in news.com.au, Federer pays $1,000 (₹69,000) to his New York barber, Tim Rogers. But this shouldn’t come as a surprise for a man who earns $77 (₹5,308) a minute.

Federer loves spending on real estate. His three plush houses across two continents is proof. During the cold, Federer and his family lives in the exclusive penthouse which overlooks the Dubai Marina. Federer who is also Formula One driver Fernando Alonso’s neighbour says that Dubai is almost like home because of its connectivity. When he is back in Switzerland, he chooses between his home in Swiss Alps and his glass mansion on the shore of Lake Zurich.

The holiday home which makes for one picturesque view of the Alps is nicely lodged in the mountains of Graubunden and was built from scratch. It cost him a reported £13.25 million (₹119 crore). His main base, the one which offers a magnificent view of Lake Zurich has floor-to-ceiling windows and is located in an area which has Europe’s lowest tax rates and has attracted many millionaires before.